Education in Faith

Sacramental Dates for 2025

Parents please check the following dates

• Grade 2 will receive First Reconciliation in Term 4 on Thursday, 20th November 2025.
• Grade 3 will receive First Eucharist in Term 2 on Saturday, 21st June 2025.
• Grade 6 will receive Confirmation – Term 3 on Saturday, 6th September 2025.

Reconciliation: baptised Catholics in Year 2.

Eucharist: baptised Catholics in Year 3 or who have celebrated their Reconciliation.

Confirmation: Year 6 Catholics who have received the Sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation and Eucharist.

If you have any further questions regarding your child receiving these Sacraments, please feel free to contact me at the school.

The Stations of the Cross at SFS

We are thrilled to announce to our families of the very FIRST Stations of the Cross session that took place this morning at our school. We are grateful to Fr. Fabian for introducing this special Lenten tradition to our school community. This prayer service provided our students and staff members a meaningful opportunity to reflect on the journey of Christ through singing, prayer and reflection. It was a thrilling experience to witness the children from LS 1 (with their buddies) participate reverently singing and responding to prayers. 

These sessions will be held throughout the season of Lent, offering a time for spiritual growth and unity. The next two sessions will take place at SFS at 11:40 am on Friday, 21st March, lead by LS 2 and on 28th March led by LS 3. 

Homegroups will gather in the Community Room for the opening prayer and make their prayerful journey through the front of the school, through the hall, the yarning circle and finally conclude the session in the hall . We invite you to join us in this powerful experience and encourage everyone to participate in this sacred observance.

News from the Parish

Second Sunday in Lent - Year C

Gospel Reading: Luke 9:28-36 (The Transfiguration of Jesus) 

On this the Second Sunday of Lent, we encounter the powerful moment of Jesus' Transfiguration. Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a mountain, where His appearance changes. His face becomes dazzlingly bright, and His clothes become as white as lightning. In this moment, the disciples witness Jesus speaking with Moses and Elijah, two figures who represent the Law and the Prophets. This revelation serves to confirm Jesus as the fulfillment of God's promise.

The Transfiguration is a pivotal moment in the Gospels because it gives the disciples a glimpse of Jesus' divine glory. However, it's also a moment that challenges them. They are filled with awe, but they don’t fully understand what they are seeing. Peter suggests building three tents to honour Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, yet he misses the deeper meaning of the event.

This experience of awe and wonder helps prepare the disciples for the suffering and death Jesus will face on the cross. The voice of God comes from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to Him.” This declaration reinforces the importance of trusting and following Jesus, even when the journey ahead will lead to the Cross.

During this Lenten season, the Transfiguration invites us to reflect on who Jesus is and how we are called to listen to Him and follow Him, even when it may be difficult. Just as the disciples were transformed by their encounter with Jesus, we too are invited to be transformed through our relationship with Him.

Discussion Starters:

• What do you think Peter, James, and John felt when they saw Jesus transformed before their eyes? How do you think this moment might have affected their understanding of who Jesus was?
• Why do you think Peter wanted to build tents for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah? What does this tell us about his response to the experience?
• The voice of God in the cloud says, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to Him." What do you think God is telling us through these words? How can we listen to Jesus in our daily lives?
• The Transfiguration occurs right before the journey to the Cross. How do you think this moment of glory helps prepare the disciples for the challenges ahead? What can we learn from this as we journey through Lent?
• How does the Transfiguration of Jesus inspire you in your own faith journey during this season of Lent? What changes or transformations do you hope to experience during this time?

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus,We thank You for revealing Your glory on the mountain, showing us that You are both human and divine. Help us to listen to You and follow You on our own journey, especially during this Lenten season. May Your light guide us through the challenges we face and lead us closer to the transformation You offer. 

Amen.

God Bless

Rozeta Ambrose

Religious Education Leader

rambrose@sfslynbrook.catholic.edu.au

GRADE 5/6 SOCIAL JUSTICE TEAM – MINI VINNIES

Second Week of Lent

(Week beginning Monday 17 March)

Toefuata'iga - (Toy-foo-ah-tah-ing-ah) is a 13-year-old primary school student from Samoa. Samoa may be a country surrounded by water, but access to clean drinking water is scarce in some areas, with many families facing extreme hardship as a result.

Toefuata’iga’s school community struggled without reliable access to clean water, which impacted students’ education and hygiene. Teachers often had to leave the school to fetch water from nearby homes, disrupting lessons and adding strain to the community. When the water ran out at the school, students were sent home which meant they missed out on valuable learning time.

Thanks to the support of Caritas Australia in partnership with Caritas Samoa, Toefuata’iga’s school now has a 10,000 L water tank through a Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) program. Teachers and students are now able to focus on education and improved hygiene. 

“Now that we have the water tank, things are so much better, we can stay at school all day, and I get to spend more time learning and playing with my friends. I’m happy that we don’t have to go home early anymore.” – said Toefuata'iga.

This transformative story is just one example of how Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion creates waves of change around the world. 

Watch Toefuata'iga’s story here.

Will you stand with students like Toefuata'iga this Lent?

Thank you for standing with us, as we Unite Against Poverty this Lent. 

House Project Compassion Boxes have been placed in each Learning Space. We encourage families to donate during lent. Families may also collect a Project Compassion box from the office if they would like to donate at home. These will be due back to school by the last week of Term 1 with your child’s House clearly labelled on the box.

Next week Mini Vinnies will collect and count Project Compassion donations and the amounts donated by each Hose will be added to the Community Spirit Award points.

Giuliana

Mini Vinnies Facilitator 

gfaiola@sfslynbrook.catholic.edu.au